Safe Within Your Light
by RoverGirl
Summary: AU! Pike survives Khan's attack. Sequel to 'Whisper In My Darkness'. It's the day after Kirk wakes up and Pike arrives when he's awake. note I have since tweaked this fic after posting.


Author's Word: I would like to thank adama-roslinlove and Druuu and my own screw ups for inspiring and encouraging this sequel to 'Whispers In My Darkness'.

I agree there isn't enough Pike Lives! AU so here's my two pounds worth. Set the day after Kirk wakes up and speaks to Spock and McCoy.

Be warned I don't currently have a beta reader so there's bound to more obvious errors, i.e. I changed hypo spray to all one word, but likewise Respond & Review.

* * *

"Morning, Princess."

Jim Kirk smiled, keeping his eyes firmly shut.

"Hey, you've been feigning sleep for an hour now, some of us have been up since 3am worrying about your snoring ass."

Jim opened his eyes and lifted and turned his head towards his friend.

"I don't snore," he protested, although weakly.

Bones rolled his eyes as he prepared a series of hyposprays.

"Like hell you don't," he replied, turning to Jim briefly as he began preparing a hypospray, studying it to make sure the dosage was correct.

His eyes flickered back over to him.

"How are you feeling?"

Jim nodded his head slowly.

"Feeling better than yesterday," he replied.

"Reckon you can stomach breakfast? The food's not that bad here," McCoy asked him as he got ready to give Jim the first of his jabs.

"I think I could manage a bite or two," Jim replied.

"That's what I'd hoped you'd say."

Bones swiftly injected Jim in his neck; he barely reacted to it.

"Just three more to go," he assured him, patting his left shoulder.

"What's in those things?" Jim asked, "not more of Khan's blood."

"No you ain't having anything else from that bastard, these are harmless vaccines and vitamin jabs. You were out for over two weeks, you're pretty weak physically and Khan's superblood gave your immune system a run for it's money," Bones replied as he put down the hypospray and prepared the second one.

"I'm not going to get a numb tongue again am I?" Jim asked.

"You'd better not," Bone warned as he headed to Jim and gave him the second one.

"Feel any symptoms yet?" he asked, going for the third.

"Tired," Jim said honestly.

McCoy nodded.

"Any aggression you can't account for? Homicidal feelings?"

Jim smiled at him as Bones injected the third hypospray.

"No, just tired."

"Okay, but you let me know if anything crops up, okay?" Bone replied.

"Last one," he told him, picking up the fourth hypospray, "then I'll find something else to annoy you with."

"How's the crew?" Jim asked.

"They're fine, except for one case of the flu which I've just vaccinated you against to be on the safe side. You've taken a beating, no one wants you to get worse."

McCoy gave him the final jab.

"All done now. I'll get you something to eat. Think you can stay awake for that long, Sleeping Beauty?"

Jim smirked.

"Yeah."

McCoy nodded, placing the used hypospray back on the tray and picked it up.

"Yeah. I'll believe it when I see it," he replied, leaving with the room.

Jim turned his head to look out of the window.

It was a fine sunny day, disbelieving of everything that had transpired over recent weeks. And now it was all over and everyone was left picking up the pieces and trying to get on with their lives.

McCoy had warned him the previous day when he had woken up not to think about it too much yet but Jim couldn't help it.

There was a lot he didn't understand yet. He had no idea what state the Enterprise was in. He knew she must've been okay as the gang were still alive and they'd saved his ass in the end. McCoy had revealed that Khan had been recaptured after trying to kill everyone in San Francisco after Spock had left the previous day and that the good doctor had put a restriction on the number of visitors he could have over the following few days whilst he recovered and started to build up strength.

He also knew that Uhura and Bones had something to do with saving him.

But aside from that- oh and McCoy's regular advice about resting and taking it easy, and the stitches from something Bones had to do, he didn't know that much.

There was a small bird on window sill outside so he focused on that.

It was a tiny creature, a black bird, having a look around and chirping away.

A frown set across his features, distorting them. Something was playing on his mind and wouldn't budge.

Jim was so transfixed on the critter and so caught up in his own thoughts he failed to hear Bones return to the room.

The doctor went to his friend's left side with a small tray and jug of water in hand.

"Think you could manage some toast?" McCoy asked him.

He noticed how his friend was staring blankly.

"Jim?" he asked concerned.

Immediately the younger man's eyes flickered up to his.

"You okay?"

"How is Pike?" he asked.

"He's fine, just worrying about you constantly, now come on, you need to start building your stamina back up," he encouraged, swinging the bedside table round and placing the small plate of toast and a glass of water on it.

"Did he recover?" Jim asked and McCoy's heart leapt into his throat- not that Jim saw that happen under layers of medical professionalism.

Bones placed a hand on his left shoulder using his free hand to manipulate the bed controls and raise his patient up into a more suitable upright position. Jim actually sounded afraid. Really deep down afraid.

"Yes, Pike recovered, he'll be here in a short while to see you. And if that's not a reason for you to eat something and get some strength I don't know what is."

Kirk smiled at his friend and slowly reached for a slice of toast.

Bones kept a constant vigil on him encase he needed assistance to eat.

He was surprised just how well Jim was taking to being mollycoddled, but then again he reasoned that when he actually recognised he needed help he fully cooperated- that and he was completely worn out.

Maybe, McCoy reasoned, he was also seeing a change in Kirk after everything that had happened to him and everybody else.

Putting hypothetical scenarios to bed, he helped wipe away stray crumbs and provided a comforting presence to his friend as he ate for the first time in over two weeks.

After a couple of slices and a cup and a half of water, Kirk had had enough which McCoy had no objection with. It was a healthy start to Kirk's recovery.

"Not bad for someone who nearly died," Bones joked to him dryly.

"Thanks, Bones," he replied, looking decidedly sleepy after that effort.

Bones nodded and took away the plate and tray, leaving the glass on the side with the jug of water encase he grew thirsty.

He quickly disposed of the tray and returned, noting how Jim was once again looking out of the window.

He went about his usual scans and checks.

"I can always tell when something's bothering you so what's wrong?" Bones asked him.

Jim turned to look at him.

"When is Pike going to be here?" he asked.

Just at that second the door to Kirk's room chimed.

"I get the impression he's here now," Bones replied, going to answer the door.

Indeed it was the Admiral, in his flag officer uniform having been allowed back on light duty after a few days off after falling five of the doctor's tests... and he looked a lot better for it.

"Admiral."

"Doctor. How is he?" he asked softly.

"Ask himself yourself. I'll finish my tests then give you some time alone," McCoy whispered.

He turned around.

"Jim, you have a visitor," he said aloud as he grabbed a chair so the Admiral could sit down.

Jim turned his head to look and tried to sit up a little straighter but failed.

"Hiya, Son. How you doing?" Pike asked as he sat down and placed one of his hands over Jim's right, dropping his cane to the side.

McCoy went to Jim's left, finishing off his scans and tests.

"Okay. How are you, Sir?"

Pike smiled at him.

"I'm okay too. I'm glad you're awake. I dropped by yesterday but you were completely out of it."

"See you guys in a bit, I need arrange Jim's next meds," Bones told them.

McCoy made eye contact with Chris and nodded. He picked up his datapad and left the room.

They both knew the drill by now.

Pike watched him leave before turning his attention back to Jim.

"Admiral, I-"

"Drop the rank, Jim," Chris told him, "that's an order."

Jim smiled then nodded.

Chris returned the smile.

"You're not on duty. There's no need for ranks, Son," he told him.

"Okay," the youngster replied, glad to be in the older man's presence.

"How you feeling?"

Jim shifted his gaze to the ceiling briefly.

"Dozy," he admitted, "Bones dosed me full of whatever."

Chris chuckled.

"It's for your own good, y'know. McCoy knows best."

Jim nodded in agreement.

"Is there anything you want from home, Jim? I could get it for you, bring it in this afternoon?" Chris asked him.

Jim shook his head to say no.

"Okay."

Jim shifted his hand slightly under Chris' grasp. The older man noticed this and placed his other hand over it, encompassing Jim's smaller more fragile hand.

He felt Jim relax just that little bit more.

"You eaten anything yet?"

Jim nodded.

"Good. Knowing your appetite you'll be back on your feet in no time."

Chris looked him over.

Jim had made significant progress since he'd first seen him in the medical centre.

From that pale comatose person on a ventilator he'd barely believed was Jim to the familiar but tired young captain he was seeing now.

He looked a lot healthier and had a load more colour in his face.

Chris knew full well what awaited him. McCoy had filled him in on the course of Jim's treatment and was determined to help Jim through it.

"You had me worried, Son," Chris told him honestly, "when McCoy told me what had happened I was scared you'd really leave us."

"I was scared too," Jim admitted, looking down.

"Jim, look at me," Chris ordered.

The younger man's tired blue eyes met his.

"Everything's gonna be okay now, it's over. Khan's been dealt with."

"Enterprise?" Jim enquired.

"Being worked upon in Ohio so don't worry about that."

Jim frowned.

"Ohio?" Jim asked in confusion, "don't you mean Iowa?" Jim asked.

Chris screwed his face up in embarrassment and face-palmed.

Jim absolutely howled in laughter prompting a sharp rise in his pulse and blood pressure and McCoy barging into the room in a panic, further prompting Jim's laughing fit to continue.

"Son of a bitch!" Chris exclaimed, removing his hand from his face.

"What is it?" Bones asked in complete confusion at what had just transpired.

Jim managed to control himself long enough to explain.

"Where's the Enterprise?" Jim asked him.

"She's in Iowa, Jim," McCoy replied puzzled, "Why?"

"I said Ohio," Chris explained, shaking his head in disbelief.

Kirk laughed out loud then winced painfully.

"Ow! Stitches!" he complained, his face contorting in pain.

McCoy was by his side in a heartbeat; laughter silenced.

Chris got out of the way as the doctor moved his patient's covers and gown out of the way to check the stitches in his right side. Indeed they had come loose and were starting to bleed out a little.

He grabbed a gauze from the instrument cupboard next to Jim and pressed it to the offending bleed.

"It's okay, Jim. Nothing major but I'll need to seal them up. Keep calm. Chris keep the pressure on," he told them as he dashed to the other side of the room to get the equipment he required.

"It's okay," Chris told him, stroking his hair soothingly, doing as the doctor ordered.

Jim nodded his head once and keep as still as possible.

"McCoy?"

"Hang on!" he replied, "it's rather this than the other solutions. This way we're guaranteed no allergic reactions! Okay," Bones said aloud, dashing back over with the equipment he needed, "I'm numbing the area first."

Chris got out of the way as he quickly got to work applying a fast acting numbing gel then sewing up the undone stitches, ultimately replacing them. He worked as quickly as he could.

"Last one, Jim," he told him.

"So that's why you wouldn't let me send him a joke get well soon card," Chris pipped up, winking at Jim.

"Hold still, Jim! Okay, all done," McCoy told them, "now try to keep still until those are sealed up again."

"How come that injury hasn't healed up, Doctor?" Pike asked.

"Invasive surgery," McCoy told them, "nothing to worry about. It's in the write up."

"Not sure if I want to know or not," Jim admitted.

McCoy went about scanning again to make sure everything was sealed up.

"And no more games of guess where Enterprise is hiding," McCoy warned.

Jim looked puzzled.

"Why is the Enterprise back on the planet anyway?" he asked.

"She was already in the atmosphere by the time Khan was captured," McCoy explained, "she took that bad a beating that returning to space wasn't really an option available at the time, but don't worry yourself now, she's due back in space later on tonight."

Jim merely smiled at the thought.

"Now stay out of trouble for ten minutes, both of you, I've got a report to write up," McCoy told them before disappearing with the used gauze and stitch kit.

Chris resumed his seat, tucking Jim back in.

"Well that's us told," Chris said to him once McCoy had left the room.

"Yeah."

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Jim."

"I know. Just one of those things," he replied, "and Bones joined in."

"Blame the Doctor eh? Sounds like a good idea."

Jim dropped his gaze and looked blankly at the far wall of his room, towards the door.

Chris could tell that something was playing on his mind quite heavily and now it had come to the forefront.

"What is it, Jim?"

"Nothing, Sir," he quickly dismissed.

"Jim, look at me."

Reluctantly Jim complied.

"Now tell me what's wrong."

As Jim lowered his gaze again Chris placed a hand on his cheek and encouraged him to look up but he wouldn't.

"You can tell me," Chris urged.

Jim was nervous. Very nervous.

"Jim, if you don't tell me, McCoy's gonna barge on in here again and demand to know what's going on."

After what seemed like an era the younger man finally spoke.

"Did you speak to me?" he asked, "when I was out?"

Chris nodded, understanding why his young charge was nervous.

"I did, Jim. I did it virtually every time I came to visit you. I thought it might help you."

Jim nodded in understanding and finally looked at his mentor.

"I heard you the one time," he admitted, "do you mean what you said? Being proud to have me as your son?"

Chris nodded. "I meant every word, Son."

There were tears in those bright eyes and Chris mentally kicked himself for making the kid cry.

"You never told me you remembered me talking when you were in your coma."

"I know. I'm sorry, Jim, I wish had I told you," Chris replied.

"You did, remember?" Jim replied with a smile.

"Does that make us quits then?" Chris asked him.

"Yeah," Jim said with a slight laugh.

Chris beamed at the youngster then drew him into a hug, holding him to his chest. He felt Jim collapse into it, clearly exhausted and emotionally wrung out.

"I love you, Jim. You know I'm always here for you, Son," Chris told him, wrapping his arms protectively around him.

A sob.

Quiet and alone, it was joined by another and another as the youngster finally let out everything that had happened to him, feeling safe enough to break his guard completely in company of the only man he'd ever known and regarded as a father to him...

Chris didn't know how long they'd remained like that, just him holding Jim, rubbing circles into his back, reassuring him he was there for him, letting him work his way through his emotions...at some point Jim actually fell asleep.

His thoughts were finally broken by McCoy re-entering with a couple of hyposprays.

"How is he?" Bones asked.

"Asleep," Chris replied.

He didn't know when Jim had finally succumb to slumber but he'd continued to hold him tightly anyway.

McCoy approached them and got ready to administer the first hypospray.

"How you holding up?" he asked Chris.

"Okay, now that I know he's going to be fine," he answered.

"So I missed the monsoon then?" McCoy replied.

Chris nodded, continuing to rub Jim's back.

"He got it all out of his system," he confirmed.

McCoy nodded and administered the first hypospray into Jim's neck prompting him to begin waking up and in a bad mood!

"Bones, stoppit!" he grumbled into Chris' uniform.

Both doctor and mentor chuckled.

"One more, Jim," Chris told him, "then you can get back to dreamland."

McCoy shook his head in disbelief.

"Unbelievable," he muttered, preparing the second one.

Jim twisted in Chris' arms.

"Dad?" Jim muttered almost incomprehensibly.

"Yeah, Jim?"

"Can I at stay at yours once I've busted outta here?"

"Did he just-" McCoy began.

Chris waved a hand to stop him.

"Sure thing, Son," Chris replied bemused, ruffling his hair, prompting Jim to try and shake him off and failing.

McCoy administered the second hypospray prompting a curse and swear from the groggy captain.

"Whatever you did, it worked better than anything I've ever given him," McCoy told Chris who burst out laughing.

"And you're not busting outta here until I say so, Jim," McCoy told him causing another profanity as he put the hypospray down.

"Okay, go back to sleep, Jim. We'll talk about it later," Chris told him.

Literally seconds later he was fast off.

"Well at least he's returning to his normal self, that's a promising sign," McCoy said aloud.

"How long is he going to be in here for?" Chris asked.

"I was going to say until he's fully back on his feet but if you're prepared to put up with him as he recovers he'll be able to leave sooner," McCoy explained.

Chris nodded.

"If it gets him back on the Enterprise sooner rather than later then it's worth it," he confirmed, "besides I reckon he'd just end up staying at mine regardless."

McCoy smiled.

"Okay then, when he wakes up, we'll put him in the loop."

Chris returned the smile and nodded.

"Do you want me to help put him back to bed?" Bones asked.

"Give us a few minutes. Right now I think I need it more than he does."

Chris gently rested his chin on the top of Jim's head.

"He remembered didn't he?" McCoy asked, cottoning on to what Jim meant.

"He did," Chris replied, "bless him, he did," recalling Jim's emotional outburst.

McCoy left the room wordlessly as Chris stared out across the changed view of San Francisco.

Khan had changed so many things, disrupted so many lives, killed so many people, caused so much emotional trauma and turmoil but as the Admiral got lost in his thoughts, he couldn't help but think how much closer he had become to the young man who had become his son by the evil that had they had confronted. Not just Khan but Nero also.

He knew that the moment he'd discovered Jim Kirk's identity was the moment he had to intervene. Sure Kirk had been a pain in the ass and caused no end of grief on various occasions but for every bit of grief there was another reason to believe in him and smile.

Holding him close and sensing how vulnerable he was at that precise moment, Chris now knew just how close he'd come to loosing the kid, how close Jim had come to loosing himself and he hoped above all hope that whatever image of strength he put on in front of his crew, no matter how much he pretended nothing got to him, that he'd always be able to turn to him when he needed his Dad's shoulder to cry on.

"Don't worry, Jim," he told his sleeping youngster, "I've always got your back, Son."

END.


End file.
